Fathers And Sons
by NightsDawne
Summary: !!CONTEST ADDED!! Cowboy Saga 4: Ch 9: Seifer takes over command. Squall is forced to see things from Laguna's point of view.
1. Forced Fun

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne

[Alright, it's been a long time coming in the Cowboy Saga. Irvine and Squall both grew up orphans, but they both have fathers. Can Cid and Laguna make up for the past with their sons? Disclaimer: The characters are Squaresoft's, yup.]

_Cowboy Saga:  
Cowboy  
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing  
Deuces Are Wild_

* * *

Chapter 1: Forced Fun

Squall walked slowly out of the locker room. What the hell was he doing this for? Taking a day off had been Rinoa's insistance. It had been Selphie who ordered him to make it a group outing. This, though, this was all Irvine's idea. Damn his best friend and his ability to talk him into anything. He was going to look like an idiot.

"Squall!" Rinoa grinned to him and waved from the ladies' locker room door. "C'mon, they're all out there already!"

Squall clenched his teeth and started to turn back to the locker room. He'd just skip this. His feet got hooked up together and he threw his arms out, trying to keep his balance. It was no use. He fell squarely on his butt, feeling the heat of a blush creeping up into his cheeks. He wasn't even out there yet and he was making a fool of himself.

Rinoa was at his side in an instant, reaching down to help him up. "You alright?"

"I don't want to do this, Rinny." He got his feet seperated and pulled himself up by her arm.

"Oh, stop it. You can't always be afraid of new experiences."

"I'm not afraid. I just don't want to do it."

"It's not that hard, really, Squall. I'll hold your hand the entire time, okay?" She tilted her head, gazing up at him with those chocolate drop eyes and her peaches and cream smile. "You really need to have some fun and this is fun."

"I'm not having any fun."

"You're not doing anything yet." She turned and dragged him after her. He stumbled, wishing his girlfriend wasn't always so stubborn, barely recovering in time to keep from falling again. Rinoa stopped and opened the gate for them, stepping out onto the ice and looking back at him. "Okay, one foot at a time."

Squall exhaled slowly between his teeth, knowing there was no way out of his humiliation. He gripped Rinoa's hand tightly and put his left skate on the ice, then his right. "Okay, I did it. Can I go now?"

Rinoa wrinkled her nose at him. "No! Don't be such a spoilsport!" She looked to center ice and grinned as Irvine got up to speed with back crossovers, then turned forward and jumped from his left foot, pulling his hands to his chest, spinning three and a half times before he landed on his right foot without so much as a wobble. Quistis, Seifer, and Selphie broke into applause and whistles from across the rink. "See? Irvine just did a triple axel. All you have to do is skate."

"I can't even walk in these."

"OUTA THE WAY!" Squall looked to the side to see Zell barrelling towards them, waving his arms frantically. Rinoa started to pull Squall forward just as he put his foot back to step off the ice, the motions countering each other to leave them right where they were. Zell crashed into them like a bowling ball into two pins, all three of them skidding across the ice in a tangle of arms and legs. So this is what it's like to get hit by Doomtrain, thought Squall as they slowed to a stop, Zell's shin across his mouth.

"Zell Dincht get your butt out of my face!" Rinoa let go of Squall's hand to hammer her fists at the offending portion of Zell's anatomy. "Are you trying to kill someone?!"

"Okay, who needs a curaga?" Irvine arrived on the scene to help sort out the crash, the other three not far behind him. 

Zell struggled to get his jacket untangled from Rinoa's blade. "Ow! I'll need one if Rinny doesn't stop hitting me!"

"Yeah, fists of steel." Irvine bent down and pulled Rinoa to the side to remedy the awkwardness of her position. Rinoa got in one more good slap.

"Toepick!" Zell yanked his face back quickly before he could lose a nostril to Rinoa's skate.

Quistis dropped to her knee and held Rinoa's boot down before she could get it up for a kick, then unwrapped Zell's jacket from the other skate. "It was an accident, Rinoa, no need to get violent."

"He's a menace!"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP!" Zell crawled away from Rinoa and got up to his knees, rubbing his abused backside.

Squall just lay there quietly, eyes closed, hoping they'd think he was dead and therefore excused from any further amusement. He felt Irvine give his cheeks a gentle slap. "Heya buddy, you okay?"

"Squall! I swear, Zell, if you hurt him I'm going to shave your head!" Rinoa grabbed Squall's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Are you alright, Squall?"

"He's breathing." Quistis started checking for broken bones. "He seems to be alright."

"Oh man, Squall. I didn't mean to do it!" Zell grabbed Squall's boot, dragging him closer, then grabbed his jacket, pulling him up into a remorseful hug. Squall snapped his eyes open quickly.

"Zell, let go of me or somebody _will_ get hurt."

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" Zell hugged Squall again in enthusiastic relief. Seifer came to the commander's rescue by grabbing Zell's collar and yanking him away from Squall. Squall sat up, pulling his knees up and draping his arms over them sullenly.

Selphie bent down and ruffled Squall's hair. "That was the coolest wipeout I've ever seen." Squall looked slowly up at her and pushed her hand away, then got on one knee and worked at standing up again. Five pairs of eyes watched him with anxious encouragement. Seifer just smirked and put his arms around Selphie's waist from behind. Why did they have to make it worse by watching him? He kept his eyes on the painted advertisement on the boards in front of him. Cloud's Surf And Skate Design. Great, with his luck someone would notice and suggest surfing for their next adventure. He squared his shoulders as he managed to get upright, then looked down at his skates, which had decided of their own accord to start drifting in opposite directions. He looked back to the gate longingly, an impossible thirty feet away.

"Way ta go, Squall!" Irvine grinned and clapped Squall on the back, sending him reeling into Rinoa, who grabbed him, doing a bit of footwork to keep them up. Irvine rubbed his hands together. "'Scuze me a minute, but I'm gonna steal your girlfriend, Seif."

"The hell you are." Seifer dropped his chin on the top of Selphie's head, hugging her possessively.

"But she's the only one who knows how ta do jumps!" Irvine pouted slightly.

"Yeah, and I know why you got into pairs skating, remember?"

Selphie giggled, pushing away from Seifer gently and taking Irvine's hand. "Don't worry, Seify. He does anything out of bounds and Quisty'll break his neck before you even get to him."

"That's right." Quistis winked and gave Irvine a kiss. "Okay, you two, show us what you can do."

Squall sighed with relief that the attention was off him as everyone watched Irvine and Selphie skate together, twisting to skate backwards, Irvine watching Selphie's skates to adjust his stride to them.

"Double double?" Irvine grinned as Selphie gave a nod over her shoulder. Irvine cut to the diagonal, Selphie following. "Okay, three.. two.. one.." Both spun and kicked off, spinning two and a half times, landing on their off feet, then springing up immediately from the double axel into a double toe loop, arms out to the sides, palms up as they landed, their timing that of a team that had been skating together for years. Even Squall let go of Rinoa to join the applause.

"They ought to go into competition." Rinoa glided back a bit to wrap an arm around Squall, making it seem just a gesture of affection although he knew it was to make sure he didn't fall again. He looked over to her, glad she was helping him hide his awkwardness.

"They'd need a coach. And a choreographer." Quistis tilted her head, eyes on the two as they circled around each other, Irvine dropping to a crouch, one leg horizontal to the ice in front of him, his hands on Selphie's waist as she bent over, kicking one leg up behind her. "They're both good, though."

"Oh, I could choreograph a program for them!" Rinoa clapped her hands together, eyes lighting up. Great, thought Squall. They don't stand a chance of backing out now that she's got the idea in her head.

"Xu used to be a champion skater, I bet she'd coach them!" Zell was getting into it as deeply as Rinoa.

"It'd be a great morale booster for the Garden." Squall looked at Seifer in surprise. He was in favor of the idea as well?

"They'd need plenty of time off to practice." Quistis looked over to Squall. "What do you think?"

Squall looked at all of them. What, it was up to him? Didn't Irvine and Selphie get a say in their future athletic career? "... Whatever." Personally, he thought it would only last until Selphie managed to trip and put Irvine in the hospital.

"Great, it's settled then. Are we gonna skate or what?" Seifer pushed off, turning to cast another smirk at Squall as he skated backwards.

Squall groaned inwardly. He knew that Seifer had only learned to skate a couple of months ago himself, but he'd already gotten several lessons from Selphie. Now he was going to thoroughly enjoy Squall's suffering. Well, if Seifer could do it, he'd do it as well. He wasn't going to let Seifer get away with gloating. His eyes narrowed as Seifer held his hand out mockingly, fingers beckoning for Squall to go ahead and give it a try. Squall reached down to take Rinoa's hand and pushed off. How hard could it be? Rinoa blinked, but hurried to keep up with him and provide support.

"Oh wonderful." Quistis sighed. "Here we go again."

Zell leaned against her, shaking his head. "Well, what else did you expect was gonna happen?"

"You have a point. I just hope they don't realize the weaponry value of hockey skates."

Squall furrowed his brow, trying to get the hang of keeping his momentum going forward. He knocked against Rinoa, but she was ready for it and just gently pushed him back in line. Seifer snickered, hands in pockets as he leaned to the side, back crossovers steering him around the corner of the rink. "You skate about as well as you dance, Commander."

Rinoa scrunched up her nose. "He's doing just fine, Seifer." She pulled Squall with her through the turn. He let go of her hand, glaring at Seifer as they approached the next corner.

Seifer laughed. "Going solo already, huh?" He crossed his right foot behind his left and made the turn in three smooth strides.

"Whatever." Squall picked up his left foot and dropped it over his right, almost smiling as he started changing direction. 

Seifer leaned forward, beckoning him on. "C'mon, slowpoke, you can make it." Rinoa bit her lip, skating a bit behind Squall and keeping an eye on him.

Squall put his hand out and pushed himself away from the boards to finish the turn. "I'm keeping pace with you."

"Well, how about we just pick things up a bit?"

Rinoa shook her head at Seifer. "Just let him practice, Seifer."

"I can handle it." Squall put a bit more effort into his pushes. 

Seifer snickered, coming back to skate circles around him. "Little faster. You can do it."

"Seifer!" Rinoa cast a pleading look at her ex-boyfriend, but it was ignored. Squall lifted his head to watch Seifer, his jaw clenched. He realized that even Irvine and Selphie had stopped, watching the two perpetual rivals worriedly. They thought he was going to blow it, but he had to put Seifer in his place. He leaned his weight forward and started truly skating, pushing off into nearly a sprint. Seifer chuckled and sprinted next to him. Squall cast an angry glare to his subordinate.

"Squall! Boards!" Squall looked forward again at Rinoa's warning, but it was too late. From the corner of his eye he saw Seifer throw his weight back, twisting his skates to send up a shower of shaved ice as he stopped. Squall had no time to do anything and hit the boards with full force, his momentum carrying him completely over them, flipping him in the air. He landed on his shoulder and back on hard concrete, the blow dazing him. He could hear Rinoa and Seifer on the corner of the ice.

"Seifer! Why couldn't you have left him alone?!"

"Hey, he's the one who decided to bite off more than he could chew. Ow!"

"Let go of my wrist, meanie!"

"Don't hit me, then."

"Alright, you two, break it up." Quistis had arrived to keep Seifer and Rinoa from getting into it.

Squall saw Irvine climb over the boards and crouch down next to him. "You okay, Squall?"

Squall sighed. "I think I've had enough skating for today." He sat up slowly, Irvine helping him out with a hand behind his shoulder. Squall shook his head, trying to clear it.

"You need a healin' spell?" Irvine checked Squall over for injuries.

Squall pulled away from him slightly. "I'm fine. I just.. should get back to the Garden. I've got a lot of work to do."

"You're supposed ta be havin' some fun."

Squall looked at his best friend without speaking for several moments. ".... Does this look like fun to you?" He let Irvine help him up to his feet, then started limping for the locker room. "I'm going home."

When he got back to the Garden he snuck some ibuprofen from the infirmary, his head pounding. Why did his friends insist on forcing him into these things? Squall knew they just didn't want to see him turning into a workaholic, but he liked his job. He hadn't asked for this responsibility, but now that he had it he wasn't about to let Headmaster Cid down. He made his way into the elevator, hitting the button for the command level on the third floor, then leaned against the back of the car, rubbing his sore shoulder. The doors glided open and he walked out, refusing to limp as he crossed the foyer to his door.

"Commander?" Squall stopped, glancing over his shoulder to Katia, the receptionist he and Cid shared. She smiled a bit. "There's a letter on your desk for you from President Loire."

Squall nodded and walked into his office. Great. Laguna the lamebrain. He still didn't get how an airhead like that could run an advanced country like Esthar. He had to be a figurehead with his assistant Kiros making all the decisions. A former soldier, journalist, and movie star, Laguna had a ton of charisma, but Squall had been inside his head and in his opinion, Laguna was an idiot.

He sat down at his desk and looked at the letter. What did Laguna want now? Galbadia, the major aggressor against Esthar, was still licking its wounds from its last attempt at invasion. He picked up the envelope. It didn't have the official presidential seal on it. It was just a plain stationery envelope with a handwritten address. Laguna Loire, President's Palace, Esthar. He didn't even put his title before his name. His curiosity piqued, Squall opened it up and took out the handwritten page inside.


	2. Breaking The News

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne 

* * *

Chapter 2: Breaking the News

_Dear Squall,  
I know I probably should have done this in person. It's really the sort of thing that should be done face-to-face, I know that. I thought this way, though, you could have a chance to react the way you want to and not have to worry about me seeing. You know, come to terms with it. Of course, I'm eager to get together and spend some time with you getting things sorted out and on the right track between us as soon as you're ready for it. What I'm saying is, it's not because I don't want to see you that I'm doing this in a letter. I really thought about it before I did this._

Thinking? That would be a first for Laguna. Squall sighed. Why didn't he just get on with the point? It was hard to believe this guy had ever written articles that actually got published.

_Anyway, I guess you want me to get to the point already. It's something I only learned recently. I guess Ellone wasn't sure how either of us would take it and we were busy getting our own relationship sorted out now that we're back together again. Hard to believe I missed out on so much of her growing up, but now it seems like nothing compared to what else I've missed._

The point, Laguna, thought Squall. The point.

_You remember how I left home right after Raine and I got married. I t was supposed to be only temporary, of course. A travel journalist can't really get their job done if they stay home all the time. That whole incident with being arrested as a spy in Esthar just took such a big toll on my plans. I had no idea Raine had died until Ellone found me again._

I know your history, airhead. I went through it in your brain.

_Still, I guess you don't need to read all this. After all, you were there in a way, right? Ha ha. So, anyhow, it was a shock to find out about my wife. I'd loved her so much and I never got a chance to say goodbye until she'd been in the ground almost eighteen years. I had a hard time dealing with my emotions over it all. I was mourning the love of my life. I guess that's another reason why Ellone waited._

Get on with it before I start crying for you. Not.

_Yesterday I finally worked up the courage to ask Ellone how her mother had died. I wasn't prepared at all for her answer. Raine died in childbirth. I'd never even known she was pregnant when I left. I guess it was too early. Of course I asked what happened to our child. Ellone told me they'd gone to the orphanage together, her and her half-brother, my son._

What? One of the orphans was Laguna's son? It had to be Irvine. He was nearly as much of an airhead as the president sometimes.

_That's part of what makes it so wierd that you were the one who she sent back to my past. You know more about me than I know about you, even though I'm your father._

Squall stopped and reread that again. It still said 'I'm your father.' No. No possible way. Ellone was mistaken, she had to be. She was only four years old when she went to the orphanage, she'd just gotten confused over which one was her brother because she spent all of her time with Squall since he was a baby. There was no way that Squall was even related to Laguna Loire, much less his son.

_Hard to believe, right? You're my son. It all makes sense now, though. You have your mother's eyes, and you're quiet and introspective just like she was, too. I can't believe that I'm a father. Well, biologically, I mean. I was Ellone's step-father and I knew that all along. I wish I'd known about you. I wish a lot of things, that I'd never gone on that stupid trip, that I'd never been imprisoned, then locked away behind Esthar's shield for all those years. I wish I could have raised you. I don't know if there's any way I can make up for the past, but I want to try, Squall. Please call me.  
Your dad,  
Laguna_

Squall dropped the letter on the desk, leaning back in his chair. No, this was just impossible. They could get a blood test, prove that he wasn't Laguna's son. He didn't know who his father was, but it sure as hell wasn't some halfwit klutz. His father was either dead or just plain never cared that he had a son, leaving Squall to grow up on his own, his only family the other kids at the orphanage and the orphanage's matron, Edea, caring and maternal but with her hands full with seven wild children to raise, then later, a halfway father figure in Cid, but again shared, that time with hundreds of students at the Garden.

He was used to being alone in the world. It wasn't until a few months ago that he even started having friends. Not until after he met Irvine, really. The outgoing sharpshooter had given him his first taste of trusting someone else, of opening up and talking. Irvine and Selphie had instigated his first date with Rinoa, and soon he knew what love was. He had his circle of friends, that was plenty. He didn't need someone stepping in after he was all grown up and trying to be a parent he'd never had. He dropped his head on the desk and closed his eyes, wishing his headache would go away.

"I'm glad you decided to do this, Squall." Laguna was beaming ear to ear.

"...Whatever." Squall looked around. The circus? He hated the circus. What were they doing here?

"I brought you a present."

Squall dropped his eyes to the object Laguna was holding out. "... A teddy bear?"

Laguna scratched his hair. "Yeah, well.. I knew the booties wouldn't fit you."

"...Whatever."

"So you want anything before the show starts? Cotton candy? Popcorn?"

Squall turned away, tucking the teddy bear under his arm sullenly. What an idiot. "I'm fine. I hate cotton candy."

"Now see, there's another thing I didn't know about you." Squall stiffened as Laguna draped a paternal arm over his shoulders. "It's going to be so much fun having you for my little boy!"

"Don't touch me." Squall extracted himself from Laguna's embrace and headed to the stands, sinking down in a seat. God, this was so humiliating. He watched the girls doing horseback tricks on the sawdust floor below. Something blue waved itself in front of his nose.

"Look, son! It's a balloon gunblade! Looks just like yours, doesn't it?" Laguna plopped down next to Squall.

Squall pushed the balloon away, refusing to look at the man next to him. He kept his eyes focused on the clowns. One of them suddenly hopped on one foot, grabbing his calf and wincing, then tripped over the miniature car they'd all piled out of. The clown turned to the stands, looking directly at Squall. He had long black hair and a cheerful grin painted on his face. He looked... just like Laguna. He threw a pie, hitting Squall right in the face.

"Squall? Hey, buddy, wake up. You're havin' a nightmare."

Squall picked his head up off the desk to find Irvine holding his shoulder, looking at him anxiously. "..What?"

"I dunno. Came in and found ya asleep. You were mumblin' somethin' 'bout clowns."

Squall cleared his throat quickly, flipping his hair out of his eyes. "Must have been dreaming about you."

Irvine laughed, dropping down to sprawl on one of the leather chairs across from Squall's desk. "Well, I know I'm a popular dream feature, but it's usually with girls."

"Shut up. What do you want?" Squall picked up a manilla folder, trying to look like he was busy.

"Just wanted ta make sure you were alright, that's all."

"Rinoa sent you in here, didn't she."

Irvine tipped his hat back, dangling one long leg over the arm of the chair. "Well, she's worried 'bout you, but I came in on my own. You okay, buddy?"

"I'm fine."

Irvine tilted his head. "Uh huh. That wasn't one of your 'I'm fine but I really ain't, I'm just tryna get out of talkin' to anyone' kinda I'm fines, was it?"

"I'm fine."

Irvine sat up, leaning forward and resting his weight on his elbows on Squall's desk. "Okay, it's for certain now. What's wrong, Squall? You ain't that mad about Seif, are ya? You two always been at each other."

"It has nothing to do with Seif."

"Well now you're at least admittin' somethin's got ya upset."

Squall sighed, putting the folder down. He could try to keep this up all afternoon but he knew Irvine wouldn't leave him alone until he talked to him. He slid the letter across the desk. "Read that."

Irvine chewed on his lip for a moment. "Ain't right ta read someone else's mail, Squall."

"I'm giving you permission."

Irvine pushed the letter back. "How about you just tell me what it says?"

"... Just read it yourself."

Irvine took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then picked up the paper, leaning back in the seat and frowning at it. Squall tilted his head, watching Irvine's lips moving silently, a look of frustration growing on the cowboy's features. Squall furrowed his brow. It wasn't that long of a letter. "Having a problem?"

Irvine looked up. "Handwritin's kinda hard ta make out."

Squall rolled his eyes and took the letter back. "Laguna says I'm his son, alright?"

"... Laguna Loire?"

"Yes, Laguna Loire." Squall frowned. "Don't tell anyone, alright? It's a mistake. A blood test will get it all sorted out and I don't want to put up with any jokes about it."

"I ain't gonna joke about it." Irvine chewed the side of his thumbnail. "What if it's true?"

"It's not. Look, his son got sent to the orphanage with Ellone. She was only four when she got there, she just got mixed up about which one of us was her half-brother." Squall ran his hand through his hair. "Of any of us, I'm betting it's you."

"It ain't. Not that havin' Laguna for a dad wouldn't be cool, but.. it ain't me." Irvine looked away, unable to hide a look of pained anger.

Squall furrowed his brow a bit. "Are you alright?"

"I'm the one who always gets ta ask you that. Ain't no fair ta turn tables."

"You're my best friend, Irvine. I don't usually have to ask you, you're always fine." Squall rested his cheek on his hand, not saying anything about the no smoking rule in his office as Irvine lit up a cigarrette. "... I thought I was the one who was supposed to clam up all the time."

Irvine shrugged a bit. "Sorry. I just.. We were talkin' 'bout your problems."

"I don't have a problem. It's just a big screw-up."

"And what if it ain't?" Irvine looked up at Squall. "What if you got a dad? One that wanted ya but he just didn't know. Couldn't even get to ya. Not one that knew all along and just shoved ya off like trash."

"I don't want Laguna Loire for a father. I don't need a father. I'm eighteen." Squall paused, his eyebrows knitting. "What do you mean, knew all along and just shoved you off like trash?" Irvine looked away again. Squall got up out of his chair and walked around the desk, sitting on the edge of it next to his best friend. Irvine was usually talkative. Squall would only have to get as far as hello and Irvine would take over, keeping up both ends of the conversation. "Irvine?"

Irvine took a long drag off the cigarrette, then knocked the ash off into his palm, not looking up at Squall. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, quiet, more distant than the SeeD commander had ever heard. "I got a father, too. Remember when I left? Right before the Red SeeD thing?"

"Yeah."

Irvine took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It was 'cause I found out. He told me."

"Who told you, Irvine? Told you what?"

Irvine dropped his head, his face vanishing behind the brim of his hat. "Cid told me he's my father."

Squall sat back, his shoulders sagging a bit as he worked through this bit of information. Irvine just continued to smoke in silence. Cid had married Edea while they were all still at the orphanage, then started the Gardens, the couple seperating to run different campuses. Squall and Seifer, two of the three orphans left at the time, had accompanied Cid to Balamb. Irvine hadn't. Squall didn't remember any of it, not clearly, but he knew that Irvine had grown up in one of the other two Gardens, the ones run by Cid's army friends. Galbadia Garden was the largest of them, but Irvine and Martine, the strict military man who was headmaster, had never gotten along. Irvine had told him about the constant dressings down he recieved, about being flunked out and told he was an idiot and worthless. They'd never said the word, either of them, but Squall always thought of it as emotional abuse, marvelling that Irvine could be as carefree as he was after all he'd taken from Martine. It had been a miserable childhood compared to that Squall had had, encouraged to do what he dreamed of doing by the gentle Cid.

He chewed his lip, trying to figure out why Cid would take him and Seifer but not his own son. He didn't have doubts about the truth of the relationship. They all knew that Irvine was Cid's favorite of the orphans even though the headmaster tried hard not to hold any one of them higher than the others. They even had the same unusual coloring, blue-violet eyes and reddish brown hair. What he couldn't understand was how Cid could knowingly send his own child away to grow up hundreds of miles from him, raised by someone else. No wonder Irvine was hurt and angry. "I.. I'm sorry, Irvine. I didn't know."

Irvine shrugged, giving Squall a half-smile. "Nobody did, huh? Well, Seif and Quisty, they know. Cid and Matron, they knew." He stubbed out his butt on the heel of his boot and leaned over to dump it ant the ashes in Squall's trashcan. "So anyway, what you gonna do if you're really Laguna's son?"

Squall rubbed his temple. That again. "Irvine?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"You know all the bars. I want to go somewhere and have something that tastes like shit and kills braincells."


	3. Drinking Buddies

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne

[Shameless begging bit: For those of you Squaresoft fans who are also into FF7 and Xenogears, I have two stories started in those catagories, but I'm looking for guidance as to whether they should be continued. Face And Ghost is a Vincent/Lucretia story written in a lame attempt at H.G. Wells style. Hyuga's Manslut Adventures is a comedic yaoi parody about the endless pairings poor Citan is forced into in fanfics. R&Rs will let me know if I should go on with them. Pleeeeeeease? Okay, done now]

* * *

Chapter 3: Drinking Buddies

Squall staggered back from the men's room, grabbing the shoulder of a passing patron for balance before stumbling upon his barstool. Irvine looked up at him, tilting back a bottle of beer. Squall paused to carefully judge the position of his body to the stool before dropping down on it and tapping the bartop. "Gimme another."

Irvine set his bottle down. "I'm thinkin' you oughta slow down, bud." He nodded hazily. "You're a lightweight."

Squall waved a finger in the vague vicinity of Irvine's face. "Don't tell me what to do. I'm your commander."

"You're drunk."

"And I'm still your commander." Squall picked up the glass of whiskey the bartender set in front of him. "I'm starting to get the hang of this stuff." He tossed it back, then gave a gasp of satisfaction before he started choking.

Irvine smacked his back. "Yeah, at least you didn't spit it out this time. So, you feelin' any better?"

"I'm feeling.. wonderful." Squall grinned crookedly at both of his best friends. "We should do this more often."

"Oh yeah, Rinoa'll just love the new you. I'm the one who's gonna get his ass kicked by your girlfriend."

"You worry too much, Irvine. You need to loosen up. Relax. Learn how to have fun."

Irvine raised a brow. "Alright, who are you and what did you do with Squall?"

"Hey, you keep bugging me to open up. I'm sharing my deepest thoughts here." Squall put a brotherly arm around Irvine's shoulders, starting to slide off the stool.

Irvine pushed him back onto his seat before he hit the floor. "Your deepest thought is that I worry too much?"

"Um... yeah, you do now that you mention it." Squall looked for the bartender. "Hey! Two whiskeys!"

"I got a beer, Squall."

Squall shoved the beer off the bar. "Now you don't. Have a whiskey. My treat."

Irvine shook his head with a grin, picking up the shotglass in front of him. "Nobody's gonna believe that you're such a party boy."

Squall grinned back, picking up his glass. "Shut up and drink."

Irvine leaned against the outside wall of the bar, listening to the sounds of Squall getting sick around the corner. "You shoulda slowed down."

"You should have warned me." Squall staggered out of the alley, wiping his face with a cocktail napkin. "That stuff is poison."

"You okay?"

"No." Squall slumped against the wall, pressing his cheek to the cool bricks. "I feel like I have the flu, was just forced to run ten miles in full gear, and then got kicked in the nuts."

Irvine snickered. "Lightweight."

"Shut up. How can you laugh at my misery? You're supposed to be my best friend." Squall groaned, wrapping his arms around his protesting stomach.

"Sorry. You wanna go home?" Irvine stepped over when Squall nodded weakly, putting an arm around his friend to support him. "You'll feel worse in the mornin', I promise."

Squall whimpered, leaning against Irvine as he was guided to the car. "I can't believe this was my idea."

"Well, ya wanted ta kill braincells. You're just feelin' their death throes." Irvine opened up the car door, pushing Squall's head down a bit so he wouldn't bang it on the roof as he slumped in the seat, then walked around to get in the driver's side. "Roll the window down, you'll feel better." He started up the engine and pulled out as Squall did so, the commander hanging his head out into the cool night air with a sigh of relief. Irvine looked over at him. "Let me know if you're gonna puke again."

Squall watched the lane divide vanishing and reappearing from under the wheels of the car. "You sure you're sober enough to drive?"

"Not really. But I'm not as drunk as you." Irvine squinted at the road. "Relax, ain't like there's a lot of traffic."

"Whatever. I just want to get home and pass out." Squall sat up, dropping his head back against the headrest and moaning. "Maybe I could just pass out here."

"Be my guest. But I ain't gonna carry you to your room. You're heavy."

"I'll just sleep in the car." Squall closed his eyes, turning onto his side and trying to get comfortable. It was no use. He rolled back into a sitting position, dropping his head on Irvine's shoulder.

"You okay, Squall?" Irvine glanced down at Squall's pale face. "You gonna puke?"

Squall tried to nod and move his head away from Irvine at the same time, but his stomach took over all body control insistantly. He felt Irvine try to push him off, the car swerving. He heard a sound like a giant aluminum can being smashed, the car lurching upward before coming to a violent stop. "I think we just crashed," he mumbled, then everything went black.

Irvine opened his eyes, confused by the blur of light strips passing in front of him. For a moment he thought he was on an elevator going up at dizzying speed before he realized he was laying on his back. The light strips took a sudden swerve to the left and he came to a stop. A masked face bent over his, flashing a birght light into each of his eyes. "Pupils equal and reactive. Do you know your name?"

Irvine groaned. "Irvine Kinneas."

The woman nodded. "Good. Do you know where you are?"

Irvine hazarded a guess from the surgical mask. "Hospital?"

"Do you know what day it is?"

"Um.... Thursd-- no, Friday?"

She gave a little nod. "Who's the headmaster of Balamb Garden?"

Irvine frowned. "Cid Kramer," he mumbled, trying to turn away, but something hard around his neck prevented him from doing so.

The woman put her hand on his forehead. "You've been in a car accident. Just relax." She moved down to his waist, tapping his hand. "Can you feel this?"

"Yeah."

She leaned over him, tapping his other hand. "How about this?"

"Mmhmm." Irvine tried to raise his head as she disappeared from view. Something was tightening around his arm. He could feel his boots sliding off.

Another masked face, this one male, came into view, the man putting something to his ear. "Relax, Irvine."

"Where's Squall?"

"BP 92 over 60, pulse 120, respiration 28, temp 96.2" The man's eyes smiled a bit. "Don't try to talk except to answer Dr. Galoway's questions, alright, Irvine?"

"Can you feel this, Irvine?" Dr. Galoway slid her fingernail along the sole of Irvine's foot.

"Yeah. Is Squall okay?"

"How about this?" She did the same to his other foot.

Irvine sucked in his breath. "Hell yeah. It hurts."

"Mike, let's get him exposed. Be careful of his right leg, I think he's got a femoral fracture. I want x-ray down here and get some lactated ringers up wide open."

"Where's Squall?" Irvine grabbed for Mike's sleeve as the nurse turned away. "I want to know where my friend is."

Mike looked out to the hall. "Peggy, where's the one who came in with him?"

Irvine heard a female voice respond in a hurried tone. "He's in trauma bay 2. I'll get you an assessment as soon as they have him stabilized."

"Stabilized?" Irvine pulled on Mike's sleeve. "Is he okay?"

Mike pulled Irvine's hand loose and laid it back on the gurney. "He's got a great team working on him. They'll take care of him. Now just lay back and relax, alright?"

Irvine looked up at the ceiling as Mike started cutting his clothes away, swallowing. Trauma bay. Stabilized. The words did nothing to comfort him.

Dr. Galoway's face came back into view. "Irvine? We called the Garden to let them know you're here. Is there anyone else you're going to want called?"

Irvine took a deep breath, letting it out quickly when it hurt. "President Loire. Call President Loire."


	4. In The Hospital

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne 

* * *

Chapter 4: In The Hospital

Cid looked up as someone burst through the waiting room door. Flashbulbs and shouts from reporters filtered through, only to be cut off by the doors shutting again. Laguna flipped long black hair out of his face and locked aqua eyes on Cid's violet ones. "How is he?"

"They're both in surgery." Cid put a hand on the shorter man's shoulder reassuringly. "They expect both of them to make it. Irvine came in in shock with a shattered leg and spinal injuries. Squall has a head injury and they're trying to relieve the pressure. I know you care about them, but frankly I'm a little surprised that you would break away from your duties, Laguna."

Laguna looked away before slumping into a seat. "When your son is injured nothing else matters much."

"I know exactly what you mean." Cid furrowed his brow. "Squall? Your son?"

Laguna nodded. "Edea never told you, I guess. I didn't know until a couple of days ago myself."

Cid sat down next to Laguna. "Then I guess we're both in the same boat. My son is in there with him."

Laguna pulled himself out of his thoughts and blinked at Cid. ".... Irvine?"

Cid nodded, puffing out his cheeks a bit and taking off his glasses to clean them. "Anyway, Rinoa and Quistis should be back soon. They went down to the cafeteria."

Laguna leaned back in his chair. "So it's just us.. fathers."

The door on the opposite side of the waiting room opened and both men stood, looking anxiously at Dr. Galoway. She smiled, walking over. "Which one of you is Irvine's father?"

"That would be me." Cid slid his glasses back on. Laguna sat back down again slowly, chewing on a fingernail.

Dr. Galoway nodded and indicated that Cid should sit. She herself took a seat on the corner of the coffee table. "He's out of surgery, and the good news is that we don't think there was any permanent damage. We'll have to wait until he wakes up and we can do a mobility test, but we got good responses on the reflex tests. We had to reconstruct his leg. Apparently he had a previous fracture of that leg and it was healed with magic only?" Cid nodded. "Magic can set a bone, but unless it's given a chance to heal completely it leaves it vulnerable to future fracture. He's going to be in a cast for a month or so even though we used an elixir on him. I'm afraid I'm going to have to request that he be removed from active duty until the leg heals properly."

"Of course, doctor." Cid closed his eyes for a moment, sighing in relief. "But he'll walk, right?"

"He should. The cervical fracture was minor. There was just pressure on the spinal cord, no actual damage. Once we got everything back in place there wasn't really any further threat of paralysis. He's quite a lucky young man." Dr. Galoway tapped her finger on her clipboard. "Drinking and driving doesn't usually end this well, especially when you wrap your car around a tree at forty miles an hour with no seatbelts on."

Cid and Laguna both leaned forward. "What?"

Dr. Galoway looked down at her clipboard. "Blood alcohol on Irvine was point oh eight five. Squall's was point oh nine eight. Not falling down drunk, but it probably would have been safer for them if they had been that drunk. They never would have gotten behind the wheel."

Cid dropped his forehead in his hand. Laguna chewed on his lip. "What about Squall? How's he doing?"

"He's still in surgery. It shouldn't be too much longer. He has a cerebral hematoma. Basically a bruise on his brain. His head impacted something in the car fairly hard from the side and his brain is bleeding, but because his skull stayed intact, there's no place for the blood to go. Right now it's just building up pressure. They're drilling a small hole in the skull to drain the blood off. Most of the time these injuries are only severe until the pressure is relieved and the patient makes a full recovery." She gave the men a reassuring smile. "It will be a while before they're awake and ready to see anyone. Why don't you get some coffee?"

"Thanks, doctor." Laguna put his hand on Cid's shoulder as the doctor made her way back into the surgical area. "Sounds like a good idea, Cid. What're you thinking?"

Cid looked up with a sigh. "Just trying to figure out how to tell the press that two of the six heroes of the sorceress war crashed their car because they were drunk."

"Forget the press for now. Our kids are in there, remember?"

Cid nodded, getting to his feet. "You're right. I remember. At this moment they're what matters."

Irvine heard a persistant beeping through the fog of sleep and reached his arm over automatically to turn off his alarm, fumbling and opening his eyes when his nightstand wasn't where it was supposed to be. His head hurt, his neck hurt, and his leg was hot. He started to sit up, falling back against the pillow when the room tilted at a very nauseating angle. "I hate hangovers," he mumbled.

"It's not a hangover, sweetie." Irvine looked to his side to see a pretty blond closing the pump that ran the iv that trailed to his arm. "I'm Jax, I'm going to be your nurse."

"Nurse?" Irvine grinned charmingly.

Jax grinned back. "That's right. Do you remember anything of what happened?"

"Um.. no."

"You were in a car accident. You shouldn't be drinking at your age to begin with, much less trying to drive afterwards." Jax pushed a button on the side of the bed, lifting it up so Irvine wasn't lying completely flat. "You're lucky you're not going to be in a wheelchair. You dad and your girlfriend are here. Do you want me to send them in?"

"Don't you think I should have a spongebath first, darlin'?"

Jax's smile widened as she leaned over the bed. "Irvine, sweetie? Don't forget that I'm a nurse. I can make sure you don't get your pain meds."

Irvine lost his grin. "Yes, ma'am. Speakin' of which..."

"I'm taking care of it now." Jax picked up a syringe from her tray and injected a clear liquid into the iv tube. "Do you want your visitors?"

"Um, I.. yeah." Irvine looked down, pulling the blanket to the side to look at his leg, which was completely covered in a white cast. "... What's that for?"

Jax looked back from the door. "We decided not to amputate. It's not too late if you change your mind."

Irvine gulped. "No, ma'am. Nice cast. I think I'll keep it." He squirmed a bit, trying to get his shoulders comfortable against the matress, then looked over the table at his bedside. A television remote lay on one corner. He sat forward, pleased that the pains in his neck and shoulders had diminished to a foggy blur, and stretched his fingers out, trying to reach the remote. It skittered away from his fingers and dropped to the floor with a clatter of plastic. Irvine sighed and blew his bangs out of his eyes.

"Irvy?" Quistis looked around the edge of the door, her worried expression melting into a smile. "Oh, thank God you're alright."

"Hey, darlin'. Do I look alright? I was in a car wreck." Irvine winked and held his hand out to her.

Quistis shook her head and walked over to take the hand, giving it a little squeeze. Irvine winced. Quistis jumped back, dropping his hand quickly. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Irvine. Are you alright?"

Irvine chuckled. "I was just foolin' with ya, darlin'. Hey, look, I gotta cast. You gonna sign it?"

Quistis rolled her eyes and brushed Irvine's bangs over his face with her hand. "Too bad you didn't injure your funny bone. Is the morphine kicking in yet?"

"Is that what I got? Uh huh." Irvine nodded, blinded by hair.

"Son?" Irvine pulled his hair aside with his hand to see Cid looking at him worriedly from the door. "Is it okay if I come in?"

"Yup! Heya, Cid.. Quisty, meet my dad!" Irvine collapsed back against the matress, giggling.

"I already know him, darling." Quistis gave Cid a bit of an apologetic look. "His nurse said she just gave him some morphine."

Cid walked over to the bedside. "I see. It seems to be working quite well."

Irvine stopped giggling abruptly and pointed his finger at Cid. "You.. are a lousy dad.." Cid swallowed. Irvine waved his finger. "You didn't ask ta sign my cast!"

Cid relaxed a bit. "I will if you want me to."

Irvine gestured towards his plaster encased leg. "Ever'body has ta sign my cast!"

Cid obediently took a pen out of his shirt pocket, walking around to sign the cast. Irvine nodded. "Now you, darlin'. Quisty. With a lil' heart over the i like Sefie does when she signs her name."

Quistis took the pen. "I don't do little hearts, Irvy. Well, I guess now is the time to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Irvine pushed himself up on his elbow. "You know I ain't got nothin' on under this blanket?"

Quistis rolled her eyes, bending over his cast. "Irvine Kinneas, you're impossible. Anyhow... they cut your boots off in the emergency room."

Irvine sniffled, his lower lip trembling, then fell back against his pillow, covering his face with his hands. "My anaconda boots! My little twin buddies!"

Cid eyed his sobbing son. "Maybe you should have waited until he was asleep to tell him."

Laguna watched Squall's sleeping face. Except for the bandages around his head he looked fine. Only the sound of the monitors and the unmistakable smell of a hospital room continued to force the gravity of the situation on the scene. He looked over to where Rinoa slept, sitting close to the bed, holding Squall's hand in hers, tears soaking the blanket where her cheek pressed against it. Laguna sighed, staring at the indecipherable numbers and lines on the monitors, willing them to be good. He started at a soft moan and looked back to Squall to see his eyes half open.

"Squall?" He was half afraid to use anything above a whisper. Squall's head slowly rolled to the side, the SeeD commander struggling to focus on the speaker. Laguna smiled softly. "You're awake. You've got no idea how worried you made us."

Squall furrowed his brow, staring silently at Laguna. "... Clown," he whispered finally.

"What? You want a clown?" Laguna scratched his hair, wondering if this was a temporary side effect.

Squall looked up at the ceiling, squeezing Rinoa's hand. She woke up instantly, looking to his face, her tears dissolving in a joyful smile as she wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Squall. Don't ever scare me like that again!"

Squall lifted his hand shakily to stroke her hair. "Get him out of here."

Laguna let his breath out, feeling as if he'd been stabbed with a blade of ice. He stood, giving Rinoa a half-smile. "I'll just.. let you stay with him." He walked out, looking back from the door, but Squall's eyes were only on his girlfriend.


	5. Pride And Prejudice

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne 

* * *

Chapter 5: Pride And Prejudice

Ellone walked up to the nurses' station and smiled to the pretty blond nurse behind it. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Squall Leonhart."

Jax looked up from her charting. "Visitors are restricted for Commander Leonhart, I'm sorry. Only Garden members and family."

Ellone nodded. "I'm his sister. Ellone Loire."

"Oh, sorry Ms. Loire. I didn't know."

"Dr. Loire." Ellone tapped her resident's badge. "I'm doing my rotation in psychiatry."

"Sorry again, Dr. Loire. He's in room 703. I'm not sure if he's awake."

Ellone nodded, looking to see which way it was. "I'll leave him alone if he is." She walked quietly to the door of the room and leaned in. The curtain was drawn between the bed and the door, but the channels on the tv were flipping. "Squall?"

The channel surfing stopped. "Sis?"

Ellone stepped around the curtain, smiling at Squall. "Why do I keep finding you in hospital beds?"

Squall sat up, tossing the remote onto the table. "Don't blame me. It's either Seifer or Irvine, do it to me every time."

Ellone laughed, pulling a chair over so she could sit close to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Getting out of here tomorrow."

"Good to hear. ... That is a 'I'm really feeling fine' and not a 'I'm not fine, just don't want to talk', right?"

Squall rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone always ask me that?"

Ellone leaned on her elbow on the edge of the bed. "Because you could be lying in a pool of your own blood with a ruby dragon sitting on your chest and you would reach out your finger and write in the dirt F-I-N-E. I can see it on your tombstone. Squall Leonhart, SeeD Commander. I'm fine."

"Whatever."

"We have got to extend your vocabulary."

Squall flopped back down on the pillow. "Did you come in here to visit or pretend you're Quistis?"

"I came in to see my little brother." Ellone pulled the blanket up over Squall's chest.

"You made a mistake."

Ellone looked over to his face. "What?"

Squall turned his eyes to the tv. "I'm not your little brother. Not really. I'm not Laguna's son."

"Yes, you are. We were the only two there at the orphanage for the first year. You came with me."

Squall pushed the blanket back down to his waist. "I'm not related to Laguna Loire, Sis."

"What would be so terrible about it if you were, Squall?" Ellone took his hand in hers. "He's a wonderful man."

"He's an airhead."

Ellone rolled her eyes. "And you're stubborn, anti-social, and arrogant. He manages to see past that."

Squall turned stormy grey eyes on her. "I'm not like that."

"Oh really? You're acting like it. You stubbornly refuse to accept that you could have a real father that could care about you. You push him away because you have a paranoia about letting anyone get close. And your excuse for it? You're too good for him because you think differently than he does." Ellone squeezed Squall's hand as he tried to pull it away. "You're my brother. I'm not going to let you get away with retreating into your little silent world."

"Don't psychoanalyze me."

Ellone shook her head. "I'm not here as your psychiatrist. I'm here as your sister, Squall. Your sister who cares a lot about you. As much as I care about Laguna."

"I don't need a father, Ellone!" Squall yanked his hand away from her, rolling onto his side and facing away from her.

"You think eighteen year olds don't need fathers?" Ellone stroked Squall's hair softly. "I'm twenty-two. I need my father. That's why I looked for him so hard. To find him again."

"Good for you."

"Maybe you do need a psychiatrist. You won't even give him a chance."

"Why should I?"

Ellone sighed softly. "Because no man is an island, Squall. I thought you'd learned that from finally having friends. We all need people in our lives. Laguna isn't asking to run your life. All he wants is to be in it."

"It's my life. I don't have to let anyone be in it if I don't want to."

"Is that really it? You don't want to? Or is it that you've wanted it for so long and never had it so you've learned to just push it away and convinced yourself that you never wanted it to begin with?" Ellone waited patiently for a response, then squeezed Squall's shoulder lightly. "Can you even answer that?"

"Whatever." It was a mere whisper. "I'm tired."

Ellone stood, leaning over to kiss Squall's temple. "I'll let you rest, then. I just want to say one more thing. You grew up making your father into a faceless ogre who didn't care about you or a dead man who never could. You can't run away from this, though. Your father has a face, he's not an ogre, he does care, and he's very much alive. You can't hold onto your childhood fantasies forever, Squall. You're old enough to start letting some of them go." She smoothed his ash-brown hair from his cheek. "Take a second look at the man. You might see why everyone else loves him."

Squall sighed, pulling the blanket up over his shoulder as he heard her footsteps fade away. She was wrong, wasn't she? He had never wanted a father. He had even kept his distance from Cid, the closest thing he could identify as a father figure in his life. Since the day that Ellone had been adopted by a couple that only wanted one child he'd never wanted anyone else to be that close to him. He'd refused to even be friends with the other kids at the orphanage. That didn't make him anti-social, did it? It wasn't like it was the first time anyone had used that label on him, but he was more complex than a label. Labels were for soup cans, not people.

As far as arrogance, well, that was just plain stupid. He wasn't arrogant. He'd never asked to be made a hero, or SeeD commander. He was good at what he did, he always aced his exams, and unlike Laguna, he could walk across an entire stage without tripping on anything. Plenty of people had called him stuck-up, but it wasn't true, was it? He didn't think he was better than anyone else. Well, maybe better than some. He groaned, pulling the blanket up over his head, wishing that Ellone had just left him alone. He wished even more that he could honestly deny any truth in what she said.

Quistis dropped the paper bag of clothes on the chair. "Okay, time to get dressed. I'm not having you wander around the halls in one of those backside baring gowns."

"Not much of a fashion statement, maybe, but ain't like it'd be an unattractive view, is it, darlin'?" Irvine sat up, swinging his uncasted leg over the edge of the bed.

"A view I want to spare all the poor girls who can't have you." Quistis tossed him some boxers and a tee shirt, then pulled out a pair of jeans and some scissors.

Irvine put his left foot through the boxers, then thought about it for a minute as he looked at his cast before sighing and pulling it out again, then working on getting his underwear over the cast. "What's that for?"

Quistis laid the jeans next to his cast. "Your jeans won't fit over your cast, so I'm going to have to cut them."

"I ain't gonna have no clothes left by the time this is over."

"Oh hush. We'll buy you new clothes when you get the cast off. It's not like these were new anyhow." Quistis surveyed the location of some of the holes. "... You actually wear these?"

"Chaps cover a multitude of sins, darlin'. They're still good. I hate clothes shoppin'."

"When's the last time you did it? When you were sixteen?" Quistis sighed and cut off the right leg of the jeans as close as she could figure to the top of Irvine's cast.

"Fifteen." Irvine pulled the tee shirt on and reached for his jeans mournfully. "These were just gettin' comfy."

"They have holes in both back pockets. One of them that goes all the way through."

"Yet another reason to make sure your boxers are always clean." Irvine worked his jeans on with a sigh. "I miss my chaps."

"We'll get you new ones. You know, your clothes can be replaced. You can't." Quistis leaned over the bed to give him a kiss. "At least I don't have to worry about you driving for a month."

Irvine grinned, pulling her back for another kiss, this time deeper. "Course, this means I'm gonna be needin' your tender care."

"You have crutches, Irvine."

Irvine pouted. "A poor substitute for the lovin' attentions of a beautiful woman."

Quistis laughed. "I never said I wouldn't give you attention. After all, I don't want you looking for it from some other girl."

Irvine grinned. "There's other girls besides you? I forgot ta notice."

Quistis pushed him back against the pillow, turning to pull out the last items from the bag. She tossed his hat to him. "Found that thing in the back seat of the car. It's like a recurring nightmare. The hat came back."

Irvine settled his favorite accessory on his head. "It's a good hat."

"I don't see how you can manage to lose every pair of sunglasses I buy you within two days but we can't lose that thing." Quistis turned and set a new pair of anaconda boots on the bed. "You'll have to break them in all over again."

Irvine stared at the boots, then picked them up, hugging them to his chest. "Thanks, darlin'! I don't mind breakin' 'em in. Just gotta go on a good hike through a river."

"Don't thank me. They're from Cid. He took the train all the way out to Galbadia City to pick up a pair for you."

Irvine looked down at the boots. "... Oh."

Quistis sat on the bed. "I think it might be a nice gesture if you thanked him for them. Without being drugged up."

Irvine took a deep breath and let it out, then nodded. "Yeah, I will."

Quistis took the right boot. "Well, you can only wear one of them for now, but go ahead and try it on."

Irvine pulled his knee up to his chest and slid the boot on. "Hey, they're padded. These are like 400 gil boots."

"600 gil, actually. I saw the receipt."

Irvine chewed his lip for a bit. "He ain't tryna buy me, now."

Quistis shook her head. "I don't think that's it at all. I think he just wanted you to have the best. You were crying over your old pair." She reached over to pull his hair back into a ponytail. "I think he feels really badly about the past. I talked to him about it. He never wanted it to be the way it turned out. When he found out you were hurt he was so worried."

"I don't want his worry."

Quistis turned Irvine's face to hers. "What do you want, Irvine?"

Irvine closed his eyes. It was a question he'd asked himself enough that he didn't need to think to answer it, but it took him several moments to work up the courage to say it out loud. "I want to know why I wasn't good enough." He leaned into Quistis as she put her arms around him, dropping his head on her shoulder.


	6. Rinoa on the Rampage

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne

[Argh. Sorry I've been so slow lately. I've got the flu. If anything I write during this time makes no sense whatsoever, I'll try to revise it to make sense when I'm feeling better.]

* * *

Chapter 6: Rinoa on the Rampage

Ellone slid her tray down the tracks of the hospital cafeteria's salad bar. She picked up the spoon for the jello salad, then set it down again, then sighed and picked it up again, getting a half a scoop to drop on her plate.

"Always room for jello, huh?"

Ellone looked up to see a tall young man in a black seed uniform next to her. He was taller than Seifer, even, at least six foot three, although with a slender build more like Irvine's. Short black hair was parted neatly to the side in a typical military cut. He had a kind, thoughtful face, not one that would stand out in crowd, attractive, but in a very average sort of way, not striking like Seifer, or cute like Zell, or even pretty like Squall and Irvine. His dark, almond shaped eyes held a touch of shy humor to them. Ellone returned his slight smile. "Excuse me?"

"Um, always room for jello. I know, pretty lame."

Ellone looked down at her plate and back up, her smile widening. "Actually, I can never make up my mind if it qualifies as salad or not. I always think I should save it for dessert. You're from Balamb Garden?"

The man nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Here to see Commander Leonhart. Well, when I get the chance."

"I thought I knew all of his friends. Nice to see he's got more than I thought."

The man shrugged a little self-consciously. "I don't know if we're friends, really. I just work on the command deck, too. I'm not really part of the elite team."

Ellone's face lit up with sudden recognition. "You're the pilot!"

The man nodded again, his smile deepening. "Yes, ma'am. Chief Navigation Officer Nida Takashi." He held his hand out.

Ellone took it, giving it a shake. "Ellone Loire. I'm Squall's sister."

"I know. Well, I mean that you're Ellone Loire, ma'am. I didn't know Commander Leonhart had a sister. Oh, wait. The orphanage gang." Nida helped himself to some chinese chicken salad.

"Do you call everyone ma'am?"

"No, ma'am. Would probably get the men a little torqued."

Ellone laughed. "I meant women, of course. You call me ma'am and I start feeling like I should call you officer or sir."

Nida chuckled a bit. "Nida is fine."

"Then call me Ellone." Ellone got some fruit salad and looked over to Nida. "Where are you sitting?"

"At the moment, I'm standing. I hadn't actually gotten as far as claiming territory." Nida looked around the cafeteria as he picked up his tray. "There's about twenty empty tables, so I shouldn't have to fight for a place."

Ellone picked her tray up. "Why don't you come sit with me and my father? I think Rinoa's there, too."

"Lunch with the President of Esthar?" Nida grinned. "Thought you had to do something like save the planet to get that."

Ellone pursed her lips reproachfully. "If I recall my facts correctly, a certain pilot was responsible for saving Balamb Garden from total defeat at the hands of Galbadia Garden. And if Galbadia Garden had won that battle, there wouldn't have been an elite team to save the planet."

Nida's cheeks picked up a faint pink color. "I don't know if I'd go that far. All I did was smash our Garden into theirs."

"Well, I'd go that far." Ellone smiled at him as she headed for the table where Laguna and Rinoa were picking over their lunches. "Come on. He doesn't bite, you know."

"Oh, too bad." Nida trailed after her. "Would be quite a trophy scar. 'What happened to you?' 'I was bitten by a president.'"

Ellone laughed, shaking her head as she sat down at the table, motioning to the other seat. "Hi, Dad. Hello, Rinoa. We've got another guest. One with a sense of humor."

Nida took his seat. "Although not necessarily a good one."

Rinoa smiled a bit. "Oh, hi, Nida. I didn't know you'd come over."

"My day off. Figured I should stop by and say hello to the commander."

Laguna leaned across the table, offering his hand. "Nida, is it? I'm Laguna."

Nida shook the hand. "Yes, sir. I got out from under my rock a while back and noticed that Esthar had a president. It's a true honor, sir."

"Aren't you going to salute him, too, Nida?" teased Ellone, then laughed as Nida jumped up to snap one off. "I was just kidding."

"Oh, good. Thought I'd violated protocol." Nida sat down sheepishly amid chuckles.

"The very idea that you would forget anything about protocol, Nida." Rinoa grinned. "I think he's got the protocol manuals for every government memorized."

"It may not be much of a hobby, but it's a hobby." Nida put his paper napkin over his lap. "I always thought, well, what will happen if someday you find yourself in a tough situation, like lunch with a president? And look, I'm ready."

Laguna waved his hand, shaking his head. "Really, I'm not into formality. It's not a state dinner or anything. Just call me Laguna."

Nida squinted a bit in thought. "Okay, I guess I wasn't ready. I don't recall that in any of the manuals."

"Nida is Balamb Garden's pilot, Dad." Ellone started in on her jello.

"Oh, so you work with Squall." Laguna grinned. "Wish I'd been there to see it when you rammed Galbadia Garden. Two Gardens locking rings and the bigger one going down. Must have been quite a sight."

"I had a pretty big target, sir.. Laguna." Nida rubbed his temple. "I can't believe I just sounded like Selphie Tilmett."

"Hmm?" Laguna looked a bit confused.

"Oh, her website." Rinoa laughed. "She has this whole site on you. The Sir Laguna Shrine. You've got to see it sometime, really. All of your articles, clips and stills from your movies, even has transcripts of every speech you've made."

"Um, Rinoa, I don't know if he really wants to see it." Nida bit his lip.

"Why not? Oh, that's right, the chat rooms."

"What's wrong with a chatroom?" Laguna looked between the two.

"Well..." Nida sighed. "Not that I've ever been in one, but room names like Dreamy Political Encounters, Laguna Lovers, and Fangirl Fantasies would make me feel a bit wierd if it were a site about me. Not that there would be a site about me."

Laguna raised a brow. "Oh.. well.. at least she's showing an interest in politics."

Rinoa giggled. "Like her weekly polls? Vote for your favorite Sir Laguna body part, or what would Sir Laguna look best in? Tuxedo, ripped blue jeans, loincloth, or bathtowel?"

"And the fanfiction, don't forget about that." Nida grinned. "Just the titles scare me."

Ellone shook her head, covering her eyes. "I think we get the idea."

Laguna scratched his hair. "Maybe I should avoid her boyfriend for a while."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Seifer, Laguna." Rinoa pushed her tray away. "He's come to accept her issues. I don't think he had a choice in the matter, really."

"Oh, okay then." Laguna leaned back in his chair. "So have either of you seen Squall yet today?"

"I saw him this morning." Ellone sighed. "He's still in denial."

Laguna looked down with a sigh. "Well, it's his choice. It's his life."

Ellone narrowed her eyes. "It's your life, too, Dad. He's just stubborn and acting like a childish idiot at the moment."

"He has the right to feel whatever way he wants to feel about it, Ellone." Laguna pushed a bite of meatloaf around his plate.

"Including the right to treat his own father like he doesn't exist?" Ellone frowned, then looked over to Nida as his fork clattered on his plate.

"Um, sorry." Nida blushed and picked the fork up, blinking down at his lunch, still looking shocked.

Rinoa cleared her throat. "Ellone? What father? What are you talking about?"

Laguna rubbed his temple. "I hadn't exactly told anyone yet, Ellone. I was leaving it up to him."

Rinoa stared at Laguna. "You're... Squall's father?!"

Laguna bit his lip. "I never even knew Raine had been pregnant until a few days ago, Rinoa."

Rinoa swallowed. "That's why you're here. Not because he's a hero, but because he's your son." Laguna nodded. Rinoa frowned. "So why did he tell you to go away? Does he know it wasn't your fault?"

"I tried to tell him. Well, I sent a letter." Laguna propped his chin on his hand with a deep sigh. "I thought it would be easier for him that way. I don't know."

Rinoa pursed her lips, eyebrows knitting. "I can't believe him! You come all the way from Esthar to see your son and he acts like a jerk to you!" She pushed away from the table and got to her feet. "He's so mean sometimes!"

Laguna looked up at her. "He just wants to be left alone, Rinoa. I have to respect his feelings."

Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "It's about time he respected someone's feelings besides his own!" She spun on her heel, storming out of the cafeteria.

Laguna started to stand, but Ellone grabbed his hand. "Let her go, Dad. She's right." Laguna sank back down into his seat, dropping his forehead in his hand.

Rinoa clenched her hands into small fists as she marched through the hospital, fire in her eyes clearing everyone out of her path more quickly than if she used her sorceress powers. She loved Squall dearly, but the way he pushed everyone away from him and always retreated into silence could drive her to the brink at times. It was bad enough that he treated Zell like a rash he was trying to get rid of when all the short blond wanted to do was be his friend, bad enough that he ignored Quistis unless there was an official need to speak to her, but to treat Laguna like this. He was going to get a piece of her mind.

She pushed open his door so hard it slammed back at her as she walked in, forcing her to open it again, but she didn't let that stop her. Nor did she hesitate at the presence of the chief of neurology leaning over the bed, checking Squall's vision. Both Squall and Dr. Narachi looked up in surprise. Rinoa glared. "Meanie!"

Dr. Narachi cleared his throat. "I'll be done in just a moment, Miss Heartilly. If you could wait outside.."

"I will not wait outside!" Rinoa stomped her foot. "You can just wait until I'm through with him!" She turned a furious gaze on Squall, who furrowed his brow, sitting up. "How could you?!"

"How could I what?" Squall frowned.

"He's your father! How could you break his heart like that?!"

"Did he send you in here?" Squall clenched his jaw.

Dr. Narachi raised a brow. "Miss Heartilly, I really have to insist that you not upset my patient."

"Shut up!" Rinoa planted a fist on her hip. "No, he didn't send me in here, you big jerk! He's sitting down in the cafeteria suffering while you sit on your butt and order him out of your life! You should be ashamed of yourself! Ashamed!" Rinoa punctuated her point with another foot stomp.

Squall crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not his son!"

Rinoa spun on Dr. Narachi. "Do you see what kind of a jerk he can be?! He's got a caring, warm, wonderful father and he's just throwing it away!"

Dr. Narachi took a deep breath. "Perhaps you could discuss this after I've finished my examination and you've calmed down, Miss Heartilly."

"I'm calm!" yelled Rinoa.

"He's not wonderful. He's an idiot!" yelled Squall.

"Like father like son then!" Rinoa scowled at Squall.

Dr. Narachi pinched the bridge of his nose. "I really don't want to have to call security."

"Stay out of it!" Squall and Rinoa both glared at Dr. Narachi. The neurologist studied the ceiling, shaking his head.

"I come at a bad time?" Irvine swung his way in, still a bit clumsy on his crutches. "Heya Rinny."

Rinoa turned to Irvine in fury. "Talk some sense into him!"

Squall threw himself back on his pillow. "Forget this."

Irvine looked between them, sighing. "Swear ta Shiva, I keep thinkin' you two are doin' just fine, but that'd be too much to expect for like a whole week at a time. What's wrong now?"

"Could I just have five minutes to finish my examination?" asked Dr. Narachi patiently.

"How about we let the doc do his thing, Rinny?" Irvine smiled placatingly. "Promise I'll talk ta Squall all ya want right after, okay? You can just fill me in out in the hall."

Rinoa snorted, spinning on her heel and marching out. Irvine gave Dr. Narachi an apologetic smile and navigated his way around to face the door. "See ya in a bit, Squall."

"Whatever."

Irvine made his way out, hoping his injury would keep Rinoa from taking out her anger on him. The door was closed behind him and he looked over to the pretty brunette. "Okay, wanna tell me what's goin' on?"

Rinoa crossed her arms. "His father's Laguna."

Irvine nodded. "Yeah, I know. He told me."

Rinoa gave Irvine a scathing look. "He told you?! He told you and didn't tell me?!"

Irvine swallowed. "I'm sure he woulda, Rinny. Just didn't get a chance, y'know? We got in a car accident."

"He told you, then went out and got drunk, and didn't tell me?!"

Irvine chewed his lip. "I think he was gettin' 'round to it."

Rinoa's demeanor became instantly cool instead of red hot. "When were you going to tell me?"

Irvine sagged against his crutches. "He swore me ta secrecy, Rinny. Look, he just needs some time ta deal with it. Right now he don't even accept it."

"Do you realize that Laguna dropped everything and rushed out here to see him?! And what did Squall do? He told him to leave!"

Irvine blinked. "Laguna's here? Still?"

"Of course he is! His son is in the hospital, even if what he really needs is a mental hospital!"

"Whoa, calm down, Rinny." Irvine took a deep breath. "Well, guess there's one way to make Squall face it at least."

"What's that?" Rinoa tilted her head.

"Blood test." Irvine shifted his weight so he could adjust his hat. "I don't know that it'll change the way he feels, but it'll prove the relationship at least."

Rinoa's eyes lit up. "Perfect! I'll go tell Laguna and you can talk to Squall and get him to stop being a jerk."

Irvine sighed. "Rinny, I ain't sure I'm the one ta handle this one."

"Why not?" Rinoa stepped over to put her hand on Irvine's. "You can always talk him into things, Irvy."

Irvine looked down. "Well, I'm kinda on his side of things."

Rinoa stepped back, eyes flashing. "Meanie! Laguna is wonderful!"

Irvine blinked. "No, not about Laguna. I think he's a great guy. I meant, I'm havin' father issues, too. With Cid."

Rinoa frowned. "Cid's your father?" She smiled, throwing her arms around Irvine, nearly knocking him over. "How wonderful! You both have wonderful fathers!"

Irvine fought for balance. "Yeah, something like that. It ain't so easy as it sounds, though."

"Don't tell me you're being a jerk to Cid!" Rinoa stepped back again, anger flaring, making Irvine wonder for a moment how she could manage to switch gears so many times in only a few minutes. "Irvine Kinneas, how dare you?!"

"It's complicated, Rinny. I'm.. kinda workin' on it, okay?" Irvine sighed, looking to Squall's door. "I'll talk ta him. You go see if Laguna'll take that test."

Rinoa tilted her chin up, turning to walk back to the cafeteria. "I think you're both mean. After all, you're lucky. You could have my father!"

Irvine opened his mouth, then closed it again. He had to admit, she had a point.


	7. Accident Prone

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne

[Still miserably flu-y, but I hate laying around. Let me know in review if I'm under the influence of meds and need to revise.]

* * *

Chapter 7: Accident Prone

Irvine made his way back into Squall's room after receiving the all-clear from Dr. Narachi. "Heya buddy."

"I don't want to hear it, Irvine." Squall flipped through several soap operas on the tv.

"...All I said was 'heya'." Irvine dropped into a chair clumsily, knocking over the bedside table with his cast and a crutch. "Oops. I'll get it." He struggled to get up again, hopping to the side to avoid the overturned table and bumping a flower arrangement on the windowsill with his hip. It tipped over, sending the two next to it to the floor in a domino effect.

"Just.. sit down, will you?" Squall held his hand up to ward off Irvine's dangerous presence from entering his personal space. "You're worse than Selphie would be with those things."

Irvine sheepishly collapsed back into the chair. "It's harder than it looks, y'know. Nice flowers."

"Whatever. Not really my thing." Squall adjusted his pillows and leaned back against them.

"Um... " Irvine chewed on his lip. "Look, Rinny's gonna ask Laguna if he wants ta take a blood test. So you can prove Sis was wrong."

"Yeah?" Squall sat up again. "Then I can get it over with and forget this whole thing."

"You betcha." Irvine grinned. "Unless, of course, it comes back with a match."

"It won't."

"What if it does, Squall?" Irvine sighed as Squall clenched his jaw. "Will ya just consider the possibility? In completely hypothetical terms if ya want."

Squall frowned. "Hypothetically, if he were my father, which he isn't, I don't see what difference it would make. I'm eighteen."

"Well, I don't get the idea that Laguna's gonna insist ya join little league so he can yell at your coach or anything."

"What?" Squall eyed Irvine.

Irvine chuckled. "I mean, I think he knows you're a man, not a kid. He wouldn't treat ya like one."

"So then what's the point?"

Irvine shrugged. "I dunno. Be friends? Have someone ta send a father's day card to? Learn the family's top secret barbeque sauce recipe?"

Squall furrowed his brow. "I don't cook."

"It's a Galbadian thing. Gotta hand down the recipe from father ta son... oh, nevermind, Squall. What about just bein' friends?"

"...Galbadians hand down barbeque recipes?"

Irvine waved his hand. "Will ya forget about the barbeque thing?"

"You brought it up. You throw something completely wierd like that at me and expect me to just forget it?"

"Squall, focus!" Irvine took a deep breath. "Why don't ya just think about bein' friends with Laguna?"

"Because he's an airhead." Squall leaned back, making another round of the daytime dramas and talk shows.

"So am I, and we're friends."

Squall glanced at Irvine from the side. "I never called you an airhead."

Irvine chuckled. "Not ta my face, but you forget 'bout my incredible mind reading powers."

Squall sighed. "You're different."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

Squall frowned, not replying for a bit as he tried to think of an answer that would finalize the discussion. ".. You listen. All he does is talk. Way too much."

"Would save you the trouble of openin' your mouth a lot." Irvine scratched his toes with the tip of a crutch. "You ever listen ta the stuff he says?"

"I spent an entire night listening to him yak like an idiot to Julia when I was stuck in his brain."

Irvine raised a brow. "She got a major hit song out of listenin' to him for one night. Were ya listenin' or did ya just hear him?"

"I tuned it out for sanity's sake by the time he got to his adolescence. His childhood was bad enough."

Irvine blinked. "Laguna had a bad childhood?"

"No, a boring one. His parents had a chocobo farm. You have no idea how he can drone on about molting."

Irvine snickered. "Well, he was probably pretty damn nervous that night. Y'know, most of the time, he's damn funny. And cool. Real friendly, not at all stuck up."

"In other words, nothing like me?" Squall crossed his arms, eyes narrowing.

"Never said that. I'm just sayin' he's fun ta be around. Ya might like him if ya just give him a chance."

"Like you'd like your father if you gave him a chance."

Irvine frowned. "We're talkin' 'bout you and Laguna."

"Laguna's not my father. But what about you and Cid, anyway? Are you going to be friends with him?" Squall fastened his grey eyes on Irvine's violet ones.

Irvine dropped his eyes. "...I dunno. He didn't want me."

"Have you asked him why not?"

Irvine shook his head. "I ain't really been dyin' ta talk to him."

Squall smirked softly. "But you want me to get buddy-buddy with Laguna. Hypothetically."

Irvine chewed on his lip, then looked up with a slight grin. "Make ya a deal. If the test comes back with a match, I'll talk ta Cid if you'll talk ta Laguna. Okay?"

"That's letting you off completely because the test won't come back with a match."

"Do we have a deal or not?" Irvine held his hand out.

Squall looked down at the hand, then back up at his best friend. He sighed and looked away, giving Irvine's hand a shake. "Deal. For whatever it's worth."

Laguna looked down at the needle in his arm, blood filling a lab tube. "How long is this going to take?"

The phlebotomist popped the lab tube off and slid the needle out, bandaging the spot where it had been. "Done already, Mr. President."

"Huh?" Laguna blinked. "Oh, I meant the test itself."

The girl adjusted her glasses before starting to label the vial. "Oh, that. Usually about two days."

Laguna nodded, standing and rolling down his sleeve. "Great, thanks. Don't I get a sticker?"

"Sure, help yourself."

Laguna grinned, tearing off a sticker from the roll on the workstation. "Cool, Scooby Doo. Thanks, bye!" He turned and walked out, peeling the sticker off and smacking it proudly to his sleeve. Two more days and Squall's denial would be over. Not that Laguna was at all sure that would solve the problem.

Squall had never been overly enthusiastic about him, of course. He hadn't even been sure for a while that it was the SeeD commander who had been buried in his memories, the recurring presence in his past that he and his two friends Kiros and Ward had referred to as 'the faeries', not knowing at the time that they were young people from the future. Kiros had recognized Irvine immediately, even though he had never seen him. It was as if the two had developed a kinship, a bond from their time sharing Kiros's life, but Squall seemed to have no such bond for Laguna. And now it seemed that the news of their relationship had only widened the distance between them.

Laguna stuck his hands in his pockets and sighed, gazing at the tile as he made his way back toward the cafeteria. Whatever decision Squall made, he was determined to respect it, but he'd never be able to turn his back on the fact that he had a son. Squall took after his mother, but he was half his father as well. There had to be some common ground between them.

Laguna reached the end of the painted green line that showed the way to the eats and looked up just in time to have the double doors of the cafeteria slam into his face. He stumbled back, putting both hands up to his nose as it started to bleed. "Ow."

"Fucking A, are you trying to kill people, babe?" A strong hand reached out to grab Laguna's arm and keep him from falling.

"Oops, sorry, I didn't know anyone would be on the other side." Bouncing brown hair and green eyes full of concern filled Laguna's field of vision. "Are you okay?"

Laguna blinked and pulled his hands down to look at the blood flowing down his wrists. "Guess if I have to have a broken nose it's a good thing I'm already in a hospital."

"OHGODIT'SSIRLAGUNA!" Selphie yanked a handkerchief out of her pocket and held it up to Laguna's face, stepping on his foot.

"Great, you're trying to kill a president." Laguna looked up to the side as he hopped back with a whimper, seeing Seifer Almasy as his supporter. 

"It's okay, really, Selphie." Laguna wriggled his toes in his shoes to see if they still worked. "It was just an accident."

"I'm so so sorry. Here, let me see if it's really broken." Selphie stepped forward again.

Laguna put one hand over his face defensively and backed against the wall. "It's probably not. I'll just go to the ER."

"We'll help you!" Selphie grabbed Laguna's arm, yanking his hand away from his face painfully. "Help him, Seifer!"

Seifer sighed and put his hand under Laguna's other arm. "Why can't we just leave the man alone, babe? That would be helping him."

"Because it's Sir Laguna!" Selphie insistantly guided the president down the hall, stepping on the back of his shoe and pulling it off. Laguna stumbled and would have gone down if Seifer hadn't grabbed him again.

"Selphie, give him two feet of space for safety reasons, okay, babe?"

Laguna cringed behind Seifer as Selphie retrieved his shoe. "It's fine. Really."

Selphie held the shoe out. "I feel so bad, though. I mean, here I am, the president of your fan club and I might have ruined your beautiful profile!"

Seifer looked over his shoulder. "I can hold her down while you escape if you want."

Laguna took his shoe hesitantly. "I think my nose will be fine." He bent down to put his shoe back on, the motion putting his bad leg into a muscle cramp. He grabbed the back of his thigh with a wince, trying to stand again.

"What did I do now?!" Selphie skipped over Seifer's foot to help Laguna up.

Laguna drew back from her in alarm, tripping over his own feet to sprawl on his back on the floor. "Nothing! Leave me alone, please!"

Seifer eyed the two. "And just think, President, she's on your side."

Selphie chewed on a fingernail. "I'm really so sorry about this." Seifer reached down to help Laguna to his feet. Selphie tilted her head. "Do you think I could just get maybe an autograph?"

Seifer got Laguna situated against the wall so he could get his shoe back on safely. "Babe, you've already got a momento of the occassion, his blood all over your bandana."

"If I give you an autograph will you go away, please?" Laguna pulled his knee up and slid his shoe on, then tried to rub the cramp out.

"I can't just abandon you." Selphie looked around. "I know! I'll go get a wheelchair! Then nothing can happen to you!" She danced off before either man could protest.

Seifer sighed and looked at Laguna. "... She really likes you."

Laguna grinned reflexively. "I'm flattered... in pain, but flattered."

"She's not always this much of a klutz." Seifer shrugged. "Well, sort of, but not this dangerously."

Laguna put his foot down on the floor as he got the cramp under control. "You're Seifer Almasy." He held out his hand. "We've never actually met before, I don't think. I'm Laguna Loire."

"I know." Seifer eyed the bloody hand and cleared his throat. "Um, right. Yeah, I'm Seifer."

Laguna looked at the condition of his hand and withdrew it sheepishly, wiping it on the front of his shirt. "This is going to make a great humorous anecdote someday."

"I'd rather just forget it happened." Seifer ran his hand through his hair, looking down the hall to where Selphie was running a wheelchair towards them.

"Well, we can if you want to." Laguna furrowed his brow. "Isn't she going a little fast with that thing?"

Seifer didn't answer, shaking his head as Selphie slipped on the slick tile, losing her grip on the wheelchair. He quickly pushed Laguna out of the way as it crashed into the wall where he had been. "You okay, babe?" Seifer looked to Selphie, who was bouncing back to her feet.

"Just fine. Oh, Laguna! I almost hit you!"

Laguna stared at the wheelchair warily. "You're not going to push it with me in it, Selphie."

"I'll push." Seifer spun the chair around. "Selphie, other side of the hall."

Laguna dropped into the chair nervously. "That sounds like a safe distance." He put his hand to his nose to try to stem the flow of blood as Seifer steered him safely to the door of the emergency room. "Thanks. Really. It's been a pleasure."

"No wonder you're a politician. Lie like you mean it." Seifer pushed Laguna into the ER. "Medic!"

Dr. Galoway looked up and ran over. "What happened?"

Seifer shrugged, surrendering the president to the medical staff. "My girlfriend. Humorous anecdote. Later, President." He turned and walked out, dragging Selphie with him.

"I hope your nose is okay!" The perky brunette waved cheerfully to Laguna. "I'll have all your fan club members send emails!"

Laguna sighed in slight relief as the doors closed on Selphie. "No wonder I don't have to be afraid of her boyfriend. All he has to do is stand by and let her do the damage."


	8. Press Hounds

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne 

* * *

Chapter 8: Press Hounds

Seifer pulled the car up to where Irvine stood waiting on the curb, Quistis, Selphie, and Cid at his side. Selphie climbed into the passenger side and threw her arms around Seifer's neck as if she hadn't seen him for a much longer period than the five minutes it took for him to retrieve the car. Quistis straightened Irvine's hat for him. "Let's get in before the press people get here."

"Don't see why we gotta sneak out." Irvine swung himself over to the car door that Cid held open for him. "I photograph well."

"It's more or less the colorful interviews we wish to avoid." Cid took Irvine's crutches while his son fell into the seat and pulled himself over, then handed them in after Quistis had gotten herself seated next to him.

"Hey, I was the life of the news conference after the sorceress war." Irvine grinned.

"Yeah, the Cowboy Boogie made every news broadcast." Selphie leaned over the back of the seat to steal Irvine's hat.

Quistis rolled her eyes as she got the crutches positioned so they wouldn't injure any of the passengers. "It was more like the Irvine Kinneas Show than a news conference. You had to answer every question."

"Can I help it if ya'll were hemmin' and hawin' and not comin' up with anything newsworthy?"

"You're just a camera hog, Irvy." Selphie plopped back down and cuddled up against Seifer's arm.

Cid closed the door. "Okay, better get moving. I'll go around front and handle the press release. Be careful."

Seifer glanced over at the headmaster. "No problem. I'm not drunk." He hit the gas and peeled out of the employee parking lot, expertly swerving around two pedestrians in the crossing. Quitis looked back to see Cid with one hand to his chest, the other reaching for his pill case.

Nida peeked into Squall's room. "Commander?"

Squall looked over and nodded. "It's Squall, okay, Nida? We've only worked together for two months now."

Nida chuckled as he walked in, setting a box on the table. "Well, you are the commander. I brought your important things from the office in case you wanted to keep yourself from going crazy in here until they let you out."

Squall sat up, grabbing for the box. "No kidding. I can't handle any more tv watching." He looked inside and pulled out his Pocket Station. "Important things?"

"If I brought you work your girlfriend would put _me_ in a hospital bed." Nida took a seat. "I guess I should have brought flowers."

"Not really." Squall snapped a game in and started playing. "This is good. Is everything going alright at the Garden?"

"In a loose definition of the term, sir. Captain Dincht is filling in for you, but fortunately we haven't had any major calls come in."

"Zell?" Squall frowned at his game. "I don't want him in my office."

"You haven't named a second-in-command, so it fell to him by default." Nida chewed his lip as Squall frowned at his game in silence for several minutes. Nida drummed his fingers on the chair quietly, recognizing one of the commander's periods of strategic quiet and knowing better than to interrupt him.

"Almasy."

Nida blinked and looked up. "Excuse me, sir?"

Squall punched buttons determinedly. "Seifer Almasy. I'm naming him my second."

"Lieutenant Seifer Almasy, the recent graduate and former captain of the Disciplinary Committee?"

"Problem with it?" Squall tossed his hair out of his eyes and wiped out another pixelated opponent.

"Well, no, sir. It's just that I thought you didn't get along with him."

"He can get the job done. Report it back to him when you go back to the Garden. I'll get him promoted to captain when I'm back in my office. Tell Zell to get back to teaching hand-to-hand combat."

Nida took a deep breath and let it out, not eager about being the one to break the news to either Seifer or Zell. "Yes, sir." He straightened out one of the vases on the windowsill. It wasn't really clear if he was dismissed or not, but then again it never really was clear with Squall. The commander just continued to play his game in silence.

"... So what else is going on?" Squall's question came as a bit of a surprise to the pilot.

"Um, not much, really. Not that anyone wants you injured, but at least things are fairly slow at the moment so it's good timing. The only crisis besides the news of you getting hurt was the cancellation of the band that was going to do the fall festival."

Squall half-smiled. "Poor Selphie. Oh, well."

Nida dropped his chin in his hand. "I think breaking President Loire's face made up for any disappointment she may be suffering."

Squall lowered his game. "What?"

"Oh, it was an accident. She hit him in the nose with a cafeteria door. Your sister said he was just fine after they set it and gave him a potion. Won't even leave a bump."

Squall sighed. "She's not my sister. I thought Irvine was going to keep his mouth shut."

Nida shifted uncomfortably. "Dr. Loire, then, sorry. She's really.. nice, though."

"I guess." Squall went back to his game.

Nida stood up with a sigh. "Well, I hope you feel up to yourself soon, sir. Do you have anyone to drive you back to the Garden tomorrow?"

Squall shrugged. "Not really. How about you?"

Nida smiled. "Sure, Commander.. uh.. Squall. I'll be here at oh nine hundred." He was pretty sure it wasn't out of friendship that Squall asked. Obviously he wanted someone who would leave him alone with his thoughts on the drive back. Squall nodded silently at the small screen in front of him, giving more clear indication of dismissal. "See you tomorrow, then." Nida slipped out, leaving Squall to his private world.

"Headmaster Kramer!" The reporter leaned forward amid the flashing cameras. "Is it true both Squall Leonhart and Irvine Kinneas were drunk when they had their accident?"

Cid smiled, adjusting his glasses. "I'm not really the one to answer that. The medical nuances of alcohol intoxication are not in my field of expertise. Doctor?"

Dr. Galoway leaned forward to her mic. "Their blood alcohol levels were both above the legal driving limit. I would say that they both were impaired in judgement and physical response."

"Exact levels, please?" The reporter seemed overly eager. Cid wondered if she was with a tabloid.

Dr. Galoway smiled. "I'm afraid specific details like that are confidential. They were impaired."

"Will they be facing any legal charges or discipline with the SeeD organization?" Another reporter butted in.

Cid tapped his fingers on the table. "Considering that the only property damage was to the SeeD vehicle and the only injuries were to SeeD officers the local authorities have left it to Balamb Garden. We don't discuss our disciplinary measures outside of the organization."

"Is SeeD prepared to punish their own commander?"

Cid took off his glasses, feeling the need to clean them for the fifth time during this press conference. "Commander Leonhart is subject to the same regulations as any other SeeD officer. All infractions will be dealt with internally."

"Who will be in charge of the discipline if the commander is the one in charge of all SeeDs?"

Cid cleared his throat as he put his glasses back on. "Uh, that has yet to be decided. As you know, I was formerly in command of both cadets and SeeDs, however, I have curtailed my responsibilities to just the cadets. It will be dealt with, however."

An Estharian correspondant called out a question to silence the clamor of the rest of the reporters. "What is President Loire's interest in being here? Was it personal or business?"

"President Loire has a close relationship with Balamb Garden as one of our more generous contributors. That's all public record." Cid pointed quickly to the next questioner. "Yes?"

"Is it true that Seifer Almasy was involved in an altercation with President Loire that resulted in the president being injured?"

Cid groaned inwardly. He had known that one would come up considering Seifer's reputation. "Lieutenant Almasy was merely a bystander to an unfortunate accident and assisted President Loire to the emergency room. The injury was minor."

"The president is perfectly fine," added Dr. Galoway quickly. "He was treated and released and no complications are expected."

"Is it true that President Loire has ordered a paternity test? Who is the alleged child?" The tabloid woman was back, a predatory look in her eyes.

Cid pushed away from the table, starting to stand. "I can't possibly have a comment on what President Loire may or may not have done. Thank you, no more questions." He walked out of the room, waving off further inquiries, Dr. Galoway on his heels.


	9. Forced To Feel

Fathers And Sons  
by NightsDawne

[Argh, the trauma of writer's block. Yes, it's taking a while to get this one done, but it will be done! BTW, those who don't mind slash, there's a shounen-ai story I'm writing right now as well that may turn into another saga if I get enough readers of it. Check out The Chaos Connection and tell me what you think, please? Okay, end of shameless begging.]

**[Contest! Since my reviewers are such accomplished writers themselves, I'm going to have you compete to write Cowboy Saga 5. Pretty much everyone is paired up except poor Zelly. CS5 will be his lucky break, thanks to one of you. You have until Jan 13, 2002 to write a pairing (straight only for Cowboy Saga, please) for Zell with either an unattached game character or an original character. (Note: Current pairings are Irvine/Quistis, Seifer/Selphie, Squall/Rinoa, and as I'm sure most of you have guessed, Nida/Ellone is coming up. Please don't break up the couples so far.) Rating and genre is up to you. Please notify me of your entries by leaving a message in the reviews for Fathers And Sons (log in so I can jump over and check it out easily, please) and put 'Cowboy Saga 5 Entry' somewhere in your summary. You don't have to have previously reviewed any of the Cowboy Saga to enter, although I hope you'll read all of it so far so you know where we've gone before. You have my full permission to use any original characters/plot points in the Cowboy Saga for your story. The winner will be notified by email and in their story review (I promise to review all entries) on Jan 14, 2002 and their story will be added in the Cowboy Saga list with credit to the author. Since it will be part of the saga, I will need permission to use any original characters and the storyline for reference in future stories, which the winner can send to me in an email. And what's the prize? The winner, in addition to their story being included in the Cowboy Saga, will receive a story of no less than 3,000 words written by me and dedicated to them on their choice of prequel characters: Cid, Edea, Laguna, Kiros, Ward, Raine, Ellone, Julia, Caraway, or Martine. Multiple character requests will be honored, i.e., you can request a story with both Cid and Edea, or Cid and Martine, or Laguna's whole group, or Laguna, Raine, and Ellone, or any other combination you wish, no matter the logic behind it. Odd combinations add to the challenge, hint hint. You can also choose the genres and whether you want it to be straight or slash. The story will be published no later than February 14, 2002. I'm really looking forward to what you guys come up with! Good luck to everyone except those who, like a certain blond bad boy, don't need it.]**

* * *

Chapter 9: Forced To Feel

Quistis dumped yet another empty ammunition box in the trash. "Have you cleaned your room once since you moved in?!"

Irvine stopped strumming his guitar, looking over from his bed. "Only been in this room two months, darlin'."

Quistis shook her head, tossing laundry into a basket. "You'll kill yourself trying to get around this pigsty with crutches. Ew!" She peeled a half eaten sandwich from a pair of jeans and shot a look to Irvine.

"Was wonderin' where that went. I wouldn't eat that if I were you."

"I wasn't planning on it." Quistis dropped it from arm's length into the trash, which was in danger of overfilling from empty soda cans, fast food and snack wrappers, and more ammunition boxes than she cared to count. "How can you live this way?"

"Practice, darlin', practice." Irvine played a little riff and gave her a grin. "Least it's not Zell's room. Can ya imagine the reek of moldy hot dogs?"

Quistis put her hand on her hip. "Zell would eat anything before it had a chance to mold. And he's not a slob."

Irvine tipped his hat back. "I make up for it in bein' cute, though."

Quistis knocked the hat down over his eyes before picking up the laundry basket. "Barely. I'm going to have to teach you the joys of disinfectant. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Zell laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in Squall's leather chair, kicking his feet up on the desk. "C'mon, c'mon, need some action! How can Squall stand just sitting around like this?" He looked at the phone, which was silent, down to the cell phone on his belt, silent, then at the fax, which was likewise inactive, then at the computer screen, which refused to announce any new mail. "SOMETHING HAPPEN! I'M IN COMMAND! IT'S OKAY TO HAVE A CRISIS!"

He dropped his feet down and hopped out of the chair, then bounced around to the open space in front of it to practice some kicks and punches with an imaginary foe. "Heel drop.. punch rush.. mach kick.. booya.. burning rave.. DEAD MEAT! HA!"

"Have to get you a flyswatter, chickenwuss. It's a lot easier that way."

Zell spun around to find Seifer striding into his.. er.. Squall's office. "Oh, hey, Seifer. I was just, um, y'know, keeping in shape." Zell skipped lightly on his feet, throwing another punch at the air. "What do you want?"

Seifer leaned over the desk to check the email. "Nothing going on. Where's the cell phone?"

"What do you need the cell phone for? It's for official command business only. Go use your own cell phone." Zell crossed his arms.

Seifer straightened, fixing a piercing gaze on the short martial artist. "Because I'm not going to sit around in an office all day just to play back-up commander. Give me the damn phone."

"WHAT?!" Zell stepped back, clenching his fists in shock. "I'm the back-up commander! Quistis is an instructor and that means I have seniority among the active SeeDs!"

"You're a part-time instructor. You've got a class to teach, don't you?" Seifer ignored Zell's stance and reached over to lift the phone from his belt. "Squall named me."

"WHAT?!" Zell made a grab for the phone, which Seifer calmly held out of reach. "But I'm a captain!"

"Sorry, sir." Nida poked his head into the office. "Commander's orders. He wants Lieutenant Almasy in charge so you can take care of your combat class."

"Tch, I can do both!" insisted Zell.

"You're going to disobey orders?" Seifer smirked. "My first write-up."

Zell slumped in dejection. "It's not fair. I was handling things just fine."

"That's because nothing happened." Seifer picked up the desk phone as it rang. "Balamb Garden, Command Office."

"What is it?" Zell jumped forward, only to be held off by Seifer's hand on his chest.

"Understood. I'll fax you a standard contract. It'll cost you 10,000 gil a day, pay up front." Seifer picked up a pen, writing down the fax number. "You'll have a team on the way as soon as we receive the signed contract and the money. No problem." He hung up the phone and walked over to the fax machine to send the contract. "Prison escape. Looks like you're going to miss your class after all, Zell. You're on your way to Galbadia as soon as we get it official. You'll have two on your team."

"BOOYA!" Zell slammed his fist on the desk in his excitement.

Seifer raised an eyebrow and shook his head as he picked up the comm mic with one hand, pulling up the emailed information from the client with the other and printing it out. "Janet Gelder, Ted Holmes, report to the Command Office, Almasy out." He hung the mic back on its peg and handed Zell the print out and a map. "Don't get so hyper, chickenwuss." He looked back to the computer screen. "What's the code for the accounts?"

"Ice Knight 734." Zell paced as he read. "You know, I don't mind at all that you get to be stuck here, answering phones and pushing papers. I'm going out on a mission!"

"Don't gloat, chickenwuss. You're even less tolerable when you act that way. Mission confirmed, they paid fast." Seifer sighed, picking up the phone again as it rang. "Balamb Garden, Command Office. Let me check your contract status." He motioned for Zell to get going, phone balanced between his ear and shoulder as he typed on the keyboard, the fax machine starting up. Zell pouted as he stepped out to brief his team, wondering why all the action had to start the moment he was replaced.

Squall laid back on the hospital bed, feeling a wave of exhaustion flowing over him. He recognized it well, Ellone's gift. Anger and resentment didn't help him resist and he started to dream.

He was sitting at a desk, or rather his dream host was. He recognized the office of the president of Esthar, mentally groaning as he felt the familiar confines of Laguna's body. _What is this supposed to prove?_

Laguna sat back in his chair, rubbing his hand over his forehead. "I've got that feeling again."

"What feeling?" Kiros came into view, pacing the office with a cell phone to his ear and a folder in his hand.

"Faerie tickles." Laguna chuckled at the old term for their past visitations before they were aware of Ellone's gift.

"Probably your imagination. Either that or that nasty shrimp stuff they served at lunch. Yes, still holding, thank you. You are aware that I am Kiros Seagill, assistant to President Loire, right? Mmhmm, I'll hold." Kiros rolled his eyes and looked back to Laguna. "Anyway, I don't feel a thing."

Laguna scratched his hair. "I didn't have the shrimp after Ward got sick on it, remember?"

"The mushrooms weren't all that great, either. Yes, I am still holding. You know, why don't you get back to me when you've located someone who knows? I think that would be best, too. Goodbye." Kiros flipped the phone closed with a sigh. "Trying to get ahold of the Galbadian ambassador is rather like trying to find you when you've wandered off. I wonder if you two use the same maps."

"I think he just doesn't like us." Laguna frowned. "I really don't think this is the mushrooms, Kiros."

Kiros leaned on Laguna's desk. "Well, I'm sure Ellone has a reason. Will have a reason. Nothing you can do but go with it anyhow."

Laguna sighed. "You're right." He picked up a framed photo, slowly turning in his chair as he gazed at it.

Kiros watched his old friend with concern. "She's gone, Laguna. I thought going to her grave had helped you deal with it."

Laguna bit his lip as he traced the face of his wife in the photo, taken years ago, right before he left Galbadia to become a travel journalist. They had only just married, and in the photo they both held up their left hands, showing off matching bands. His wife's daughter, his stepdaughter, sat on his shoulders. A happy family, torn apart before there could be enough memories to satisfy his grief. "I know," he said quietly, "but you don't just stop loving someone, not even if you'll never see them again."

Kiros sighed softly. "I can't say I understand fully. You and Ward are about the only family I've ever had, and let's face it, it's not like I've ever wanted to marry either of you. Not that I could afford Ward's grocery bills even on my current salary. I only knew Raine for a little while, but I could tell you two had something I've never had with any of my girlfriends."

Laguna blinked. "You're still a virgin?"

Kiros rolled his eyes and slapped Laguna's head lightly with the notebook. "Here I'm trying to be sensitive and deep and you're off in airhead land again. I meant love, real love."

Laguna snickered. "I know what you meant." He sighed, still smiling, but with a hint of sorrow. "I keep thinking about what could have been."

"Bad mistake, Laguna." Kiros straightened. "Can't change the past."

"I can't help it." Laguna gazed at the face he loved. "She was so young, so beautiful. How could she have gone like that?"

"I can't tell you. You'll have to ask Ellone."

Laguna nodded, putting the photo back on his desk and standing. "Yeah, I will." He sighed and walked to the door.

"Laguna, what if the ambassador calls?"

Laguna looked back over his shoulder. "Put him on hold."

He found her in the study, going over medical books, long brown hair pulled back by a headband, curled under like her mother used to wear her hair. For a moment he saw not his stepdaughter, but Raine, his wife. He swallowed, reminding himself yet again that Raine was gone. "Ellone?"

Ellone looked up, offering a smile that only deepened the resemblance toward her mother, soft, genuine, comforting. "Hi, Dad. Everything alright? I thought you were working still."

"Taking a break." Laguna walked over to sit in the chair next to hers, folding his hands in his lap and looking down at them. "I wanted to ask you something."

Ellone closed her book, turning to give him her full attention. "Sure. What is it?"

Laguna took several deep breaths before lifting his head to look in her eyes. "How did your mother.."

Ellone laid her hand softly on Laguna's. "Die? It's alright to say the word, Dad. You'll have to sometime." She gave his hand a squeeze. "She didn't feel a thing. She was under anesthesia and simply bled to death. She just went to sleep and didn't wake up again."

"Anesthesia? For what?"

Ellone kept her eyes on his. "Cesarean section. She died giving birth to my baby brother."

The color drained from Laguna's face. "B-brother?! She.. we.. had a baby?" Laguna pulled away from her, standing and pacing as his thoughts raced. A son. There had been more to his family than just a wife and stepdaughter. The child would have to be eighteen now, no longer a child but a man. The shock was the only thing keeping him from grieving twice. The boy would have been raised an orphan, like Ellone, perhaps adopted, growing up with another father because his real one hadn't been there. "Why didn't you tell me? Is he.." He spun to look at her. "Tell me he's still alive!"

Ellone nodded. "He's alive. He's fine. I'm sorry, Dad. I wasn't sure you were ready to deal with it yet."

Laguna knelt, taking Ellone's hands in his. "Where's my son?"

Ellone swallowed, looking away for the first time. "Balamb Garden."

"He's a SeeD? Did he go to the orphanage with you? Which one, Ellone?"

"Squall," she whispered. "He doesn't know. Things didn't go the way I thought they would when I sent him back to your past. I thought he would see you the way I do, the way everyone does. See how caring and kind and loving you are."

Laguna shook, closing his eyes. Squall, with his gray eyes the same as his mother's, the only difference being the ice that shone from them rather than Raine's softness. Squall, with the quiet and introspective personality like his mother, only hardened and defensive rather than open and thoughtful. He had sometimes wondered what could have scarred the young SeeD commander so deeply that he withdrew from everyone. Now he knew, and it was his fault. He had left them and taken unfair risks, been arrested as a spy. He hadn't foreseen what would happen, but if he had known Raine was pregnant, would he still have gone? He let go of Ellone's hands, dropping his face and sobbing. Ellone slid from her chair to kneel beside him, putting her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Dad," she whispered. "I didn't want to hurt you again."

"I lost my wife. I lost my daughter for eighteen years." Laguna brushed away tears that refused to ebb. "Now I've lost a son. I can't just let that go. I have to try. I have to do something to make up for what he went through."

"It wasn't your fault." Ellone's voice remained soft, but firm, just short of a rebuke. "It won't help anything for you to blame yourself."

"You're asking me to excuse myself for abandoning my own son?" Laguna shook his head. "I can't excuse myself for leaving you. I can't even ask you to excuse me for leaving you. There is no excuse for leaving him as well."

"I forgive you, Dad. I forgive you, do you hear me?" Ellone hugged his neck. "We can't change the past. But you can change the future. I know you have the courage to do that. And I know you have the love."

Laguna hugged her tightly, kissing her hair. _I don't know my son, but I do love him. I'm his father, _he thought. _Even if he won't feel the same way, even if he won't want me to love him, it doesn't excuse me from trying. I failed him while he was growing up, I'll be there for him now. I'll be there forever if I have to. My son, the Lion Heart, Squall._

Squall awoke, his breath catching painfully in his chest. He rolled onto his side, burying his face in his pillow. A flood of tears that had been dammed back since he was a small boy, since the day Ellone had left him behind in the orphanage, broke free and he was helpless to stop them.


End file.
